Ithaca Fantastic Film Fest First Wave Includes Body Horror Retrospective, Men & Chicken, The Invitation, H., Night Fare, and Lots More!
Debi Moore
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The fourth annual Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival has announced its first wave of programming, and if you live in the area, you’re in luck because there’s definitely something for everyone this year! It runs November 11-15 at Cinemapolis, 120 E. Green Street in Ithaca, NY.
The first round of titles includes Anders Thomas Jensen’s new twisted drama MEN & CHICKEN, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet’s fake moon landing comedy MOONWALKERS, Karyn Kusama’s “Twilight Zone”-influenced THE INVITATION, Julien Seri’s revenge film NIGHT FARE, as well as Mickey Keating 60’s homage DARLING.
For its 2015 edition, IIFFF is collaborating with Shudder to present the retrospective series “Organic Horror: Obsession with Body Alterations,” which includes Georges Franju’s EYES WITHOUT A FACE, Andrzej Zulawski’s POSSESSION, Shin’ya Tsukamoto’s TETSUO, and Takashi Miike’s AUDITION. Also included in the showcase is David Cronenberg’s SHIVERS, restored for its 40th Anniversary!
This year’s standout cinema-concert will be Jean Epstein’s haunting adaption of Poe’s classic short story THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. The film is co-written by Luis Bunuel (Un Chien Andalou) and will be live scored by internationally renowned artist Anna Coogan for this special presentation.
Now entering its fourth year, IIFFF has once again brought together an outstanding curation of genre films from all over the globe. Along with those films entered into the International Competition, there will be a mini-series on Turkish cinema, accurately entitled “The Outta-Mind Empire.” Two highlights from this block are the mind-blowing documentary REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF and the international premiere of SICCIN 2.
The special LoFi Midnight Double Feature is definitely an occasion to stay up late for with Phelps and Van Scoy’s 70’s slasher homage LAKE NOWHERE and the hilarious hijacked 70’s puzzled-porn-based French film IN SEARCH OF THE ULTRA-SEX.
The Brewed in NY mini-series will focus on two impressive and innovative films shot in New York, including Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia’s unique and emotionally charged take on the end-of-the-world genre in H. and Perry Blackshear’s chilling Slamdance breakout THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE.
Don’t forget the film contest “FIFTEEN MINUTES (OR LESS) OF FAME,” inspired by RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: THE ADAPTATION; IIFFF wants to give you a chance to get behind the camera too. They’ll also be screening Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen’s RAIDERS! documentary that catches up with Eric Zala, the inspirational teen-turned-filmmaker with the original Raiders adaption vision, and his team as they set out finally finish their two-decade long cinematic labor of love.
And last but not least, the IIFFF will host an art exhibition, featuring this year’s amazing artist CHET ZAR. Chet and Mike Correll will also be around to present the documentary I LIKE TO PAINT MONSTERS! featuring Chet’s inspirational work.
Stay tuned for the full programming and events schedule on October 15th. Visit ithacafilmfestival.com for more info.
Men & Chicken– Denmark
Anders Thomas Jensen
Superstar Mads Mikkelsen reunites with director Anders Thomas Jensen, and, as you would expect from the pair behind the Danish outcast comedy ADAM’S APPLES, the product is a satisfyingly twisted Danish tale. After the death of their father, two brothers learn that they were actually adopted. They set out to look for their real father and discover something quite troubling…
The Invitation– USA
Karyn Kusama
A seemingly innocent reunion amongst old friends and past lovers slowly takes a dark turn as tensions rise and anxieties bubble to the surface. Kusama’s feature slowly morphs into one of the more original takes on Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone” that we’ve seen in years! THE INVITATION is a treat for the eyes – and the mind – and is sure to be one of this year’s festival favorites!
Night Fare- France
Julien Seri
Two friends reunite in Paris for a weekend of parties, but after an encounter with a taxi driver, their plans start to fall apart. Take a heaping dose of Bill Lustig’s MANIAC; mix in a dash of Spielberg’s DUEL; shake for a solid five minutes; serve in a chilled martini glass with an ice cube. This gives you: NIGHT FARE – a fresh homage to a beloved genre and style and an unusual piece of cinema coming from the land of the French New Wave.
https://youtu.be/Yqj6RUp0TEk
Darling– USA
Mickey Keating
This nightmarish black and white psychological horror is centered around a mysterious Manhattan mansion and its innocent new caretaker. Keating’s latest effort is a slick and clever meta-homage to the 1960’s, pre-American New Horror. DARLING is like a nicely aged Bordeaux – something so good that we can’t help giving everyone a taste.
Moonwalkers– France
Antoine Bardou-Jacquet
A CIA agent and a rock band manager end up forming an unlikely duo in an epic quest to find Stanley Kubrick and fake the 1969 Moon landing. If you’re one of the select few who believes Kubrick faked the moon landing, then this is the film for you! With an out of this world (ha!) cast – Ron Perlman, Rupert Grint – MOONWALKERS has nailed the subject in one of the most hilarious comedies we’ve seen this year.
Remake, Remix, Rip-off- Germany
Cem Kaya
Who among us, while wasting time on YouTube, hasn’t stumbled upon some amazingly weird gems like Turkish STAR WARS, Turkish E.T., or Turkish THE EXORCIST? And who among us hasn’t wondered, “WTF?” This doc has answers for you! It showcases one of the most underrated international film industries and is the perfect gateway for our mini-series on Turkish Cinema: The Outta-Mind Empire!
Siccin 2– Turkey
Alper Mestci
The perfect mix of black magic and family drama, SICCIN 2 is visually stunning and endlessly spooky. We are launched into a swirl of crazy events, and the only way out is detailed in a book: Siccin, The Book of Sins. This is an ideal entry point for our mini-series The Outta-Mind Empire and is this year’s must see horror entry from Turkey.
Lake Nowhere– USA
Christopher Phelps and Maxim Van Scoy
You like 70s slasher films? Then this is for you, kids! With its clever gimmicks, classic tropes, and a damn original story, LAKE NOWHERE is everything we want to see on screen; and the 70s vibe makes it the perfect pairing for the amazing IN SEARCH OF THE ULTRA-SEX!
In Search of the Ultra-Sex– France
Nicolas Charlet and Bruno Lavaine
The Ultra-Sex is lost, and the world is plunged into a frenzied, worldwide orgy! Stitching together hilarious and hardcore excerpts from 70s porn and sexy films (with notable guest appearances by the sexy Power Rangers and sultry Wonder Woman) and dialogue dubbed over, Ultra-Sex is an Unidentified Filming Object of the first kind – and one experience not to miss at this year’s festival!
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation– USA
Eric Zala
If you think you’re a hardcore fan of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, think again: Zala and co. spent seven years making a shot-for-shot remake of the original Spielberg archeologist-turned-action-star masterpiece. The end result is an outrageous feature that crept up on the film world; trust us when we say the word “epic” doesn’t even come close to describing the results. This film will paired with RAIDERS! THE DOCUMENTARY.
https://youtu.be/bGhr0kjrU7s
Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made– USA
Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen
Coon and Skousen tell us the story behind RotLA ADAPTATION. A kind of “making of” in retrospect, RAIDERS! also follows the team as they embark on a new endeavor: remaking the only missing scene from their source film – the emblematic plane scene in Egypt!
They Look Like People– USA
Perry Blackshear
For his first feature, Perry Blackshear surprises with a masterfully handled psychological horror film. Convinced that the people around him are shapeshifters, Wyatt prepares for a war that a faceless voice on the telephone warns him of. With a blend of paranoia and humor, PEOPLE has been compared to Aronofsky’s PI. THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE is guaranteed to supply you with thrills and chills as it merges human issues and genuine terror in one story.
H.– USA
Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia
A pure piece of art shot in Troy, NY, H. is the story of two women’s slow descent into madness after an explained event. Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia present a cinematographic tour de force – one you will remember long after the screening.
https://youtu.be/PzTQZsSq404
Cinema-Concert: (Performed by Anna Coogan)
The Fall of the House of Usher– France
Jean Epstein
Organic Horror: Obsession with Body Alterations sponsored by SHUDDER
Eyes Without a Face– France
Georges Franju- 1960
Dr. Génessier is plagued by guilt after an accident he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane. While everyone else believes Christiane is dead, Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise, kidnaps young women and brings them to his mansion in an ongoing struggle to return his daughter’s endowments- no matter what it takes.
Possession– France /Germany
Andrezej Zulawski- 1981
Mark’s return home from a spy mission is spoiled when his wife, Anna, demands a divorce and leaves him with no warning. Devastated, Mark repeatedly pursues Anna, with each encounter growing increasingly more destructive. Things take a bloody turn as more people get drawn into their dramatic affairs and Anna’s disturbing actions reach a new level of dread.
Shivers– Canada
David Cronenberg- 1975
After a scientist living in a posh apartment complex slaughters a teen girl and kills himself, investigators discover that the murderer had been carrying on experiments involving deadly parasites. Roger St. Luc, a doctor living in the building, and his aide, Nurse Forsythe, then realize that the parasites are on the loose, attacking fellow tenants. And those who become infected turn into erotically-obsessed maniacs who spread the infection in the most intimate way.
Tetsuo, the Iron Man– Japan
Shin’ya Tsukamoto- 1989
A “metal fetishist,” driven mad by the maggots wriggling in the wound he’s made to embed metal into his flesh, runs out into the night and is accidentally run down by a Japanese businessman and his girlfriend. The pair dispose of the corpse in hopes of quietly moving on with their lives. However, the businessman soon finds that he is now plagued by a vicious curse that transforms his flesh into iron.
Audition– Japan
Takashi Miike- 1990
This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama, a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film producer friend, Aoyama uses auditions for a fake production to function as his personal dating service. When Aoyama becomes intrigued by the withdrawn, gorgeous Asami, they begin a relationship. However, he begins to realize that Asami isn’t as reserved as she appears to be, leading to gradually increased tension and a harrowing climax.
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